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OP-UNEDITED | Why You Have to Protest – By Olakunle Olawole #IStandWithNigeria

By Olakunle Olawole

As gloomy as my eyes were when I woke up to the incessant ringtones from my two mobile phones, alas they were calls from fellow Nigerian friends who have been well informed of 2face’s (Innocent Idibia) decision to back out of the already well publicized and generally accepted planned protest scheduled to hold on 6th February, 2017, my eyes shot to stardom with vociferous alacrity!

I tried to explain to the few of my callers who adhered to listen that as against the stereotyped misconception that those who protest are troublemakers, rabble-rousers, stubborn or the jobless percentage of the Nigerian populace, it is important to note that a protest or demonstration is an integral activity to modify the current state of affairs in any dispensation, by words or actions with regards to particular events, policies or situations. Although protest can take various forms, from individual statement to public outcry in an attempt to influence public opinion, government policies or for citizens to directly carry out the change they so desire.

I believe it is with this resolve that 2face innocently announced that he would be leading a nationwide protest over the deplorable state of the nation via an instagram broadcast on 25th January 2017. In an era where citizen’s protest against government policies is becoming of sporadic effect, little did 2face know that the Nigerian factor would still have its wanton toll.

Different version of stories have circulated the media, from how 2face was marauded by DSS to how his mother begged him in utter nakedness to discontinue the protest, yet this is beyond Innocent Idibia, this is OUR Nigeria her welfare is of utmost concern to us all.

Fellow Nigerians, over 2.3million south Koreans protested against corruption in the government upper echelon, while 43,000 Indian protesters protested against the supreme court ruling to ban Jallikatu; the country’s bull gaming sport practiced only once in a year! Concerned citizens all over the universe protest as their constitutional obligation to make their country and immediate environment a better place to live. Unfortunately, that is not our narrative. We argue over the most insane of issues and we troop out en-mass for the most absurd cause.

It is utterly regrettable that the average standard of living as a Nigerian is mathematically less than or equals to the standard of life of a well fed baboon in some western zoo. Our ability to contain the most unthinkable action not only from foreigners, but from self elected leaders is quite alarming. What then do we stand to gain as Nigerian citizens? What is to be celebrated? What is to be proud of being called a Nigerian citizen? A country where James Ibori is celebrated and 2face is castigated, where access to electricity, good road, good education, water, adequate infrastructure, food, shelter and security as the basic necessities of life is unavailable irrespective of the vast mineral wealth we possess.

Where did we get it wrong, are we being hypnotized by our leaders, or are we just naturally deluded with the ability to reason normally? How possible would it even have been to think properly considering our current predicament?

That is why we all need to lend our voices in protest to this baboonic system of life, we need to act accordingly and in the sole interest of nationhood, because if Mahatma Ghandi’s salt march was for all Indians, if Martin Luther king’s march on Washington was for all black Americans, I see no reason why you should not protest to say NO to the continued deplorability of our dear Nigeria.

On the ride to success, some are initiators while some are spectators. History has forever been kind to the initiators; hence history would kindly absolve Innocent Idibia (2face) for waking up the sleeping giants in all of us. Therefore, we mustn’t be frustrated to go back to our already frustrating lives, we must say no to Lack of Electricity, good road, good education, water, adequate infrastructure, food, shelter, security, NO to corruption, Nepotism, God-fatherism, Dictatorship and every other Negative Giant striving to pull down Nigeria. That is why you need to protest!

Join the protest today as we all stand with Nigeria!!!

#ISTANDWITHNIGERIA

God Bless Nigeria.

_________ 

Inspired by Steve Biko’s ‘I Write What I Like‘, OP-UNEDITED is the citizen opinion segment of SIGNAL. All opinions posted on the OP-UNEDITED page are unedited and the raw opinions of the writers.

Do you have an opinion on any topic whatsoever and you want it published to reach a wide audience? Send it to us at editor@signalng.com, thesignalng@gmail.com

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Copyright 2015 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.

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